Article spinning device



July 30, 1935. MECHLIN 2,009,629

ARTICLE SPINNING DEVICE Filed April 1, 1951 Patented July 30, 1935 ARTICLE SPINNING DEVICE Ernest F. Mechlin, Washington, D. 0., assignor to Locke Insulator Corporation, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application April 1,- 1931, Serial No. 526,987 6 Claims. (01. 91+60) The invention relates, broadly, to the galvanizing of metal objects and has for its general object the provision of a novel means for spinning metal objects subsequent to their subjection to a galvanizing bath, the purpose being to throw off any surplus spelter or the like adhering to the object.

It is well known that in the galvanizing of hardware used in connection with the support of the conductors of high tension transmission lines, and particularly in the galvanizing of insulator caps and the like it is customary for the operator to take such caps from a galvanizing or pickling bath by means of pliers or tongs and whirl or otherwise move them rapidly and abruptly through the air for the purpose of shaking off any surplus liquid, spelter or the like which may ad- 'here thereto. At best this ordinary operationis not only messy but ineflicient in every respect and uncertain in its results. Furthermore there is more or less risk that the pliers or tongs might slip and permit the cap or other article to fly loose and possibly strike some of the workmen or cause damage to windows, etc.

It is with the above factsiin view that I have devised the present invention which contemplates the provision of power driven means for supporting andwhirling the metal cap 'of an insulator or the like, subsequent to its galvanizing, for the purpose of throwing off any excess material adhering thereto, the arrangement being such that all of the caps in a batch may be given the same treatment so that uniformity in the product will be assured.

An important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character which will positively grip an insulator cap so that it cannotslip oif during its rotation. r

. Another object is to provide a device for this purpose vdriven by an electric motor which is normally at rest and which is set in operation as need requires by the same movement necessary to effect gripping of the cap.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a device of this character and for this purpose which is treadle operated so that the workman may have both hands free for manipulation of the caps, that is to say for placing them on the device and subsequently removing them.

A still more specific object of the invention is to provide a spinning device of this character in which the same treadle or pedal movement necessary to hold the cap or grip it will close the circuit to the electric motor which provides the power for effecting spinning.

An additional object is to provide a device of this character which will be very simple and inexpensive to make, easy to use, certain in its results, positive in action, efiicient and durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other 5 objects and advantages, the invention preferably consists in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which: 1

Figure l is a side elevation of an apparatus or machine constructed in accordance with. my invention, the parts being shown in their'normal or initial position, K

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the operating treadle depressed to effect gripping and rotation of the cap, and I Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the'line 3-3 of Figure 2.

; Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 9 designates a support which might be a table, shelf, work bench or the like, this detail being immaterial. Carried by this supportjis a bracket structure I I of any ordinary or preferred constructionQbut here disclosed as having vertically spaced bearings l2 for a spindle or shaft .43 of suitable dimensions. Slidable along this shaft and located above the bracket l l isa disk l4 centrallyapertured for the reception of the shaft. The disk is secured upon theupper end of a link l5 which has its lower end pivotally connected at l6 with a treadle l1 here represented aspivoted intermediate its ends as at l8 upon a support I9 of any ordinary or preferredconstruction;

Operating in conjunction with the shaft or spindle l3 and located above the-disk ll is an angular member pivoted at 20 upon theshaft l3 and including an upper arm portion, 2| and a lower arm portion 22, the latter beingequipped with a roller 23 bearing upon the disk .14 and urged into engagement therewith by some suitable spring means such as the spring 24 which is shown as engaging upon the top of the arm 22 and againstthe side of the shaft or spindle ii. The upper end of the shaft and the arm 21 are intended to support and hold the insulator cap 25 under circumstances .to be explained.

'In order that the spindle or shaft 13 may be rotated, I provide an electric motor 26 which may have its shaft equipped with a worm orotheli ear -2l meshing with a worm wheel or the like, 28' on the lower end of the shaft l3. Details of this transmission are not given as it is so obvious that many variations may be resorted to. However, a

worm and worm wheel would probably be the simplest arrangement possible and that is why their use is mentioned.

7 The motor is of course adapted to be driven from any suitable source of current but it is not intended that it operate continuously. For this reason I have shown a circuit making and breaking means formed as a contact 29 mounted upon and insulated from the link l5 and adapted to engage a contact 30 mounted upon and insulated from the bracket II, the arrangement being such that when the treadle I 1 is depressed and the link I5 consequently moved upwardly the contacts 29' and 30 will engage and close the circuit to the motor.

In the use of the device, it should be understood that after the cap 25 has been dipped into spelter or some other galvanizing bath it is taken out by the workman, by means of tongs or pliers and placed at once upon the upper ends of the shaft '13 and arm 2| which are normally adjacent each other as shown in Figure 1. The operator then depresses the treadle l'l whereupon the link If) is moved upwardly, carrying with it the disk I4. As this disk is in constant engagement with the roller 23, 'on account of the presence of thespring, the upward'movement of the disk causes upward movement of the arm 22 and outward swinging of the arm 2| which then engages against the .inside of the cap at a point diametrically opposite that engaged by the upper end of the shaft I3. The pressure exerted against the inside of the cap at these two points will cause the cap to be held firmly in'the position shown in Figure 2. At the same time, the downward movement of the treadle causes the contacts 29 and 30 to be brought into engagementand this closes the circuit to the motor so that the rotation of the motor shaft will 'be-imparted'to the shaft l3. As the arm 2| is pivoted to the shaft it will necessarily rotate therewith and the cap 25 will be whirled or spun. During this spinning-centrifugal force will act to throw 011 any excess galvanizing material adhering to the cap. In addition, this spinning in the air will hasten drying. It is probably not necessary that the spinning be kept up for any great length of time as only a few moments will suffice to bring about'the desired results. Just as soon as the operator relieves thepressure upon the treadle the disk will drop down to its original ornormal position and the spinning will of course "cease. The cap is then removed from the device :and given any further treatment necessary.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawing it will be apparent that I have thus provided an extremely simple device which will efficientlyiperform all the functions for which itis intended. It is thought that the construction, operation and advantages should be readily apparent to one skilled in the art without further explanation.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be'understood that the disclosure is merely an exemplification'of the principles involved as the right is reserved to make all such changes in the details of construction as will widen the field of utility and increase the adaptability of the device provided such changes constitute no departure from the spirit of the invention or the *scope otf tli'e claims hereunto appended.

[Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a spindle, a holding member pivoted thereon and including an arm, a disk slidable along the spindle adapted to engage and move the holding member, means including an electric motor for rotating the spindle, and means for moving the disk and consequently the holding member and simultaneously closing the circuit to the motor.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a stationary support, an upstanding rotating spindle journaled therein and adapted to have a bowl-like article engaged upon its upper end in inverted position, a disk surrounding and vertically slidable with respect to the spindle, an

upwardly for swinging the arm into engagement with the inner wall of the article whereby the article will be gripped and rotated, the lower end of the arm travelling upon the disk.

3. An apparatus of the character described comprising a stationary support, a rotary spindle journaled therein and having its upper end free, means for rotating the spindle, said spindle being'adapted to have an insulator cap disposed thereon in inverted position, an arm pivoted intermediate its ends upon the spindle and rotatable therewith, said arm having its upper end disposable-within the cap, a roller on the lower end of said arm, a disk surrounding and slidable longitudinally of the spindle in non-rotatable relation thereto, said disk engaging said roller, and means for moving the disk upwardly to pivot the arm and cause lateral movement of the upper end thereof away from the spindle so that the spindle and upper end of the arm will engage against the inner periphery of the cap and grip the same for effecting rotation thereof, said roller travelling upon the disk.

' 4. In anapparatus of the character described, the-combination of an expansible rotary carrier adapted to grip a hollow object at the interior thereof, an electric motor for rotating the carrier,

a circuit closer-for the motor, and means for automatically operating the circuit closer simultaneously with expansion of the carrier for effecting rotation of the carrier and article thereon when the article is gripped.

5. In an apparatus for treating insulator caps, the combination of an initially stationary expansible carrier adapted to have a cap disposed thereon and operable to grip the cap from the interior thereof, an electrically driven means for rotating'the carrier, a circuit closer for the electrically driven means, and means operable upon expansion of the carrier to gripping position to operate the circuit closer for effecting rotation of the carrier.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotary carrier adapted to grip an object and including a spindle and a pivoted arm, means cooperating with said arm for moving the same into article gripping position, an electric motor connected with the spindle for rotating the carrier, and means operable by movement of said first named means for opening or closing the motor circuit.

ERNEST F. MECHLIN. 

